Will you tell us about your book?
“In This Hour,” is the culmination of several years of writing, submitting and publishing in literary journals. Before taking up poetry in my forties, I wrote short stories and studied playwriting at South Coast Repertory in Orange County. I still love both those forms, but poetry is what I want to write. Poetry is fluid, sometimes comes organically after experiencing a fleeting moment, a change in a facial expression, a bit of music, or remembering the way someone looked as they walked toward me. Observing.
What inspired you to write it?
I was inspired by poet/novelist Kate Braverman who taught me to look at the world in a different way. I remember her saying, “What does 10 p.m. look like? Write it.” That inspired one of my first poems, which was also my first published poem. My inspiration comes from all the wonderful teachers I’ve studied with; Kate, Jack Grapes, Holly Prado, Nick Flynn, Richard Garcia, Denis Johnson, Ellen Bass. These wonderful poets and teachers are eager to share what they’ve learned. Gretel Ehrlich, travel writer, novelist and essayist said, “Read broadly, across cultures, history, philosophies, everything.” I try to follow her advice.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I started writing fiction and poetry after I’d retired as a magazine editor, bookstore owner, and technical writer. I had a lot to learn when I started creative writing. People told me that persistence was the most important thing. And to be passionate about the process, and not be so concerned about the outcome. I had to learn patience and how to submit work, which can be a time-consuming chore. That process has become a bit easier since most of the journals now allow online submissions. I had to learn to be still and let the words come.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?
I hope that readers will like my book and that they’ll relate to the life experiences I write about: of moving away from family, living in new places completely different from the place where you grew up. Reassessing what’s important, understanding your goals and values. I want to share my feelings about loss, nature, and love.
If money were not an object, what would you be doing right now?
I’d love to travel more. I like road trips with my husband. I like long train trips. I’d like to return to my favorite city, Paris, and stay for a while with my daughter. I’d like to travel to Ireland and look for some distant relatives who live in Belfast.
© 2014 Catherine Auman
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